Index mechanism



Aug. 3, 1937. L. o. CARLSEN 2,088,687

INDEX MECHANISM Filed Aug. 21, 1956 5 sheets-sheet 1 @0W @gi/Sgm 5 A BB ttorneg Au@ 3, 1937' l.. o. cARLsEN 2,088,687

- INDEX MECHANISM Filed Aug. 21, 195e 5 sheets-sheet 2 L. O. CARLSEN INDEX MECHANISM Aug. 3, 1937.

Filed Aug. 21, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 3,

UNITED STABS PAT it.;

The present inventi mech One object of the vfr ferrea INDEX MECHANISM Leonard 0. Carlsen, Roc Gleason Works, Roche of New York Application August 21,

6 Claims.

present invention is to provide an indexing mechanism which will be substantially noisel A .further ob order and will prior types of indexing Other objects of the ess in operation.

ject of the invention is to provide an index mechanism which is and which, therefore, will be positively actuated less likely to get have a longer life than mechanisms.

invention will be apparent hereinafter from the specification and from 2l5 the recital of the In the drawings appended claims.

Figure 1 is an elevation, with parts in section,

of an indexing mechanism embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view at right angles to Figure 1,

parts being shown in section;

Figure 3 is a line 3-3 of Figure 1;

fragmentary sectional View on the Figure 4 is a fragmentary view showing, in plan, the actuating parts of the indexing mechanism;

ing details of the cam In the drawings, I Il d the gear cutting machine and II dle which is suitably journaled sectional View showand lever for operating a generating roll. enotes the Work head of the work spin- 50 sure operated piston 9 for rel easing the same.

The indexing mechanism itself will now be described.

I2 denotes the index plate which is keyed to the work spindle and secured against a shoulder 55 on the spindle by the n ut I3. I5 designates the hesiter, N. Y., assigner to ster, N. Y., a corporation i936, serai No. 97,248 (o1. :io-56) guard or housing for the index mechanism. This may be secured to the work head in any suitable manner. The index-plate has a plurality of notches I4. v

Pivotally mounted upon a pin 20 in the guard Secured to this lever by screws 22 1s a locking dog 23 which is Aadapted to engage in the notches of the index plate I2 to hold the work spindle against rotation during cutting of the gear teeth.

25 denotes an arm which is rotatably mounted upon the work spindle I I by means of its hub 25. Pivotally mounted upon this arm by means of a pin 28 is a'pawl 29.

The pawl 23 is adapted to engage in the notches I4 of the index plate I2 to rotate the index plate when the locking dog 23 is in inoperative position. 'I'he pawl isl constantly urged towards 0perative position by a spring-pressed plunger 30 which is housed in a recess inthe arm 25 and which is adapted to engage the tail 3I of the pawl 29 is held out of engagement with plate, as long as the locking dog 23 is in operative position by a cam-plate 34 which is secured to the lever 2I by screws 32 and which is adapted to engage roller 33 that is carried by the pawl 29.

The locking dog v23 is moved to and from operating position by oscillation of a crank 35 (Fig. 3). The lever 2l` is pivotally connected by means of the pin 35 to a hollow sleeve 31. Slidably mounted inthis sleeve is a plunger or rod 38 which is threaded at its lower end for adjustable engagement Vwith a link member 40; 'I'he link member 40 is rotatably mounted by means of bushing 4I upon the pin 42 of the crank 35.

, 'Ihe plunger 38 is provided with an enlarged head 44 at its upper end and between this head and a nut 45 which is lthreaded into the sleeve 31, there is interposed a coil-spring 46. The tension-of this spring can be adjusted by rotation at the'plunger 38 to thread it further into or out of the link member 40. The lock-nut 41 serves to hold the plunger in any adjusted position.

The crank 35 is oscillated to lift the locking dog 23 out of engagement with the index plate I2 to work spindle, or to return the locking dog to operative position, when nclexing has been completed, by operation of a cam which forms one track 55 of -a double track cam member 5I. There is a roller 52 which engages in the cam-track 5U.- This roller is mounted upon a pin 58 which is secured in a hole in the lever 53 by clamping blocks 59. The lever 53 is fulcrumed upon a pin 54 that is secured by the the pawl 29to lthe bracket 16 and the Vriphery' with va gap dowel-pin 55 and screw 56 to a plate 51. The lever 53 is connected at its free end to a bar 60, the connection being by means of the pin 6I.

There is a rack 62 secured to the bar '60 by means of screws 63 (Figs. 1, 3, and 4) The rack 62 meshes with a long-faced spur pinion 65 which is keyed to the shaft 66 of the crank 35. The shaft 66 is journaled on anti-friction bearings 61 and 68 in the guard or housing I5.

Through the gearing just described, then, the crank 35 is oscillated to move the locking dog 23 to` or from operative position.

When the locking dog 23 is disengaged from the index plate I2, the arm 25 is rotated to cause rotate the plate I2 to effect the indexing operation. The hub 26 of the arm 25 is provided with gear teeth forming a segmental spur gear 10. (Figs. 1 and 2.)

The segmentv10 meshes with a rack 1| which is secured by screws 12 to a bar 13. The bar 13 slides alongside the bar 60 in a way 15 formed' in bar 13 is provided with a tongue 14 at one side which engages in a groove 19 formed in the adjacent side of the bar 60. Thus one bar aids in guiding the other in'its movement.

The bracket 16 is secured tothe work head or other suitable part of the gearA cutting machine by T-bolts 11 (Fig. 2). The plate 51 acts as a coverplate for the way 15.

The bar 13 is connected at one end bythe pin 18 with a lever 80. The lever 80 carries a pin 8| on which is mounted a roller` 82 which engages in the cam-track 84 of the cam-member 5|. The pin l8| issecured in thelever V80 by clamping blocks 83.

" The lever has'an adjustable fulcrum. This is formed by the block which slides in the groove 81 in the lever and by the block 88 which slides in a groove 89 formed in the under face of the plate 51 (Fig. 6). There is a pin 90 formed integral with the block 88. This pin Yengages in a hole in the block 85 and forms a pivotal connection between the block 85 and the block 88. The block 88 is adjustable to control the stroke of the bar 13 by rotation'of the screw-shaft 90 which threads into the nut 92, which is secured 'bya pin (not shown) in the block 90. A tapergib 94 (Fig. 4) which is adjustable by means of a screw-shaft is provided to clamp the block 85 in any adjusted position.

' The cam-member 5| is keyed-to a shaft 96 (Fig. 1) which is journaled on anti-friction bearings 91 and 98 in'y the bracket 16. This shaft may be driven in time with the other operating mechanism of the gear-cutting machine from the shaft fI00 Y(Fig. 2) through the coupling IOI, the shaft |02the bevel gearing |03 and |04, the shaft |05, theworm |06 and the worm Wheel |01. f The latter islkeyed to the shaft 96. Y

In a gear roughing machine, the cutting-tool ork tools are alternately fed into the gear blank and withdrawn` therefrom. During the feed movement, a tooth space of the blank is cut to full depth and while the tool is withdrawn the blank is indexed. The indexing mechanism of the present invention may readily be employed on anysuch'machine. The indexing mechanism Vof the present invention may readily be used also on gear finishing machines where a cutter is employed, such as is described in the pending application of J. E. Gleason, Serial No. 711,382 of Feb. 15, 1934. This cutter has a plurality of cutting blades arranged part way around its pebetween the first and last blades and the gear blank is indexed once for each revolution of the cutter when the gap in the cutter is abreast of the blank. The indexing mechanism of the present invention may also be employed on gear grinding machines of the type described in the pending application of E. W. Bullock et al.. Serial No. 751,738, filed Nov. 6, 1934. Additional uses will occur immediately to those skilled in the art. When thev indexing mechanism of the present invention is employed on a gear roughing machine or on a gear grinding machine of the type referred to, it is actuated in time with the feed and withdrawal mechanism of the mais rotated through actuation of the arm 25 to move the plate through an angle sufficient -to bring a new notch of the plate into-registry with the locking dog. Then'Y the locking dog is reengaged with the plate. The return of the'locking dog into engagement pawl 29 to be disengaged through action of the cam-plate 31|.l The indexing operation is then complete. The pawl 29 -is reset by reverse rotation of thearm 25. The cam-tracks 50 and 84 of the cam-member these movements of-the locking dog" 23 and`of the pawl-carrying arm 25 inthe described cycle.

Assuming that'theV parts rare in the positions shown in the drawings, the bar y60 is first moved to the right by operation of the cam-track 50 and lever 53 to rotate the crank 40 throughoperation of the rack 62 and spur `pinion 65. -The crank raises the rod or plunger 38 which lifts'the sleeve 31 and the lever 2| to cause 'the locking dog 23 to be disengaged 'from the index plate I2.A The plunger moves perhaps 12' before it engages the upper closed'end of the sleeve 31, but thereafter plunger and'sleeve move upwardly together.

As soon as the locking dog is disengagedA from the index plate,y the pawl 29 vsnaps "into engage- -ment with a notch of the plate'under actuation of the spring-pressed plunger 30, for, when the lever 2| is lifted the camlate `34is carried clear of the roller 33 on the pawl. Theshape of the cam-track 50y of the ycam-member 5| is such that at this time, the bar 13 is moved to the right under actuation of the lever 80 and so Athe arm 25 is rocked counterclockwise -to impart indexing rotation to the index plate I2. The amount of rotation of the index plate will depend upon the position of the fulcrum blocks 85 and 88 of the lever 80 and will vary'with the number of teeth in the gear beingcut. Y j

When the plate I2 has'been rotated far enough to bring a new notch into registry with the locking dog 23, the ca -track 50 causes the bar 6 0 to be moved to the left back to the position shown in Fig. 1. This rotates the crank 40 lback to the position shown in this figure,` returning the locking dog 23 to locking engagement with the index plate. n As the locking dog returns into engagement with the index plate, the cam-plate 3| contacts the roller 33 of the pawl 29, disengaging the pawl from the index plate. When the locking'dog has returned into engagement with the'v index plate, the index mechanism is reset kloyV operation of the cam-track 84 causing the-bar 13'tc move back -to with the plate causes the'l 5| are so formed as to effect Y lquired-for'dizllerentfnumbersyof-'teethinthe gears `to be cut. -Thefindexplate used A'may have 'the .2,088,687 the left Ato thefposition-shownin Fig. 1i This roa clockwise direction: to y-reset same vnumber of notches asl the-number of teeth in the gear to be cu'tfor the number of notches *may be a yniultiplefof the number `of teethin the gear to -be-cut. l

In prior f types of --indexing mechanisms Iof the notched plate/type, after the vlocking 'dog' has been disengaged lfrom-theindex plate,-itis allowed Xto'drop back on 'the periphery of the-plate and it V'rides on the periphery ofthe plate,'during the vindexingrotation' of'the -work spindle, until it the' next notch inithe plate', lwhen it locks up the index plate again. Since springpressure'is ordinarily used to return the locking dog to locking position with these prior constructions, the locking dog gets a bump when it drops on to the periphery of the index plate and again when it drops into a notch of the plate. prior index mechanisms are not only noisy in operation, but With the constant hammering on the index dog, there is a tendency for inaccuracy to creep in and effect the accuracy of indexing. The defects of prior index mechanisms are enwith the present invention. The

plate while the plunger is moving at slow speed. This is of especial importance on the locking movement of the dog because, through the crank actuation, the dog is engaged without shock and silently. 'I'he coil spring 46 further aids in taking up any shockof reengagement of the locking dog with the index plate.

As a further feature of the invention, it is preferred to form the cam-track 84 so as to impart a slow start and stop movement to the rocker-arm 25. In prior types of index mechanisms, the rocker-arm in its movement rst causes disengagement of the locking dog and then rotation of the index plate, so that the indexing pawl is traveling at relatively high speed when it drops into engagement with the index plate and it engages with a shock and some noise. With the mechanism of the present invention, the index pawl is engaged with the index plate before the rocker-arm starts to move. Hence, the index plate starts to rotate at slow speed and Without shock or noise. The index mechanism of the present mechanism in all its operations, then, is substantially noiseless and Will maintain its accuracy throughout its life.

W'hile the invention has been described in connection with particular embodiment, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the 'engageable selectively pawl carried by said the notches of Vpresentdisclosure as come within knownorcustomary practicein the art to tion pertains and 'as which thefinvenmay bea-pplied to the essential features hereinbefore set forthandas fall Within the limits of the invention or the scope ,1

of the appended claims. vHaving lthus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In an indexing mechanism, rthe combination of index plate xedthereon, an armV oscillatably plate for locking said arm in timed relation.

3. In an indexing mechanism, the combination of a rotatable work spindle having an index plate cam that actuates the same, and means for rtating the cams in timed relation.

4. In an indexing mechanism, the combination of a support, a rotatable work spindle journaled in sald support and having a notched index plate fixed thereto, a reciprocably mounted locknecting the crank to said locking dog to move the dog to and from operative position, respectively, on movement of the crank in opposite directions, an arm oscillatably mounted on the spindle, a

. paWl pivotally mounted on said arm, means congaged therewith, means for oscillating the crank and arm in timed relation to rst eiTect withdrawal of the dog and then movement of the arm in one direction to eiect indexing rotation of the a rotatable Work spindle havingla notched;

. spindle, and means controlling the last named movement of the arm to insure that the pawl is engaged with the index plate Abefore the arm starts to move. Y

5. In an indexing mechanism, the combination of a support, a rotatable work spindle journaled in said support, a notched index plate xed thereto, a reciprocably mounted locking dog adapted ,to ,engage a notch of the index plate for locking said index mechanism, and means for moving the locking dog to and from operative position comprising a crank, a rod pivotally connected to the crank, a member pivotally connected to the locki ing dog, means on said member adapted to engage the rod on' movement of the rod in one direction to cause the member to move with the rod todisengage the dog from locking position, and resilient means interposed between the rod and member adapted to cushion the return movement of the member and locking dog to locking position under actuation of the rod, means for oscillating the crank, and means for rotating the index plate moving the locking Vrelative tothe locking dog whengthe dog is disengaged-therefrom to effect` indexing.

the combina` a work spindle journaled in plate iixedly se- 6. In an indexing mechanism, tion,` of a support, the support, a notched index cured thereto, a reciprocably mounted locking dog adapted to engagea notch of the index plate for locking `the index mechanism, and means `for position comprising a crank, a rod pivotally con- -nected to the crank, a cylinder in which the rod is reciprocable having an end wall against which the rod is adapted to abut when movedV in one directions. coil spring interposed between a head on the rod and the oppositefend wall of the cylinder and adapted to hold the lockingdog in locking position, and means for oscillating the crank, and means for rot ting the index plate relative to the locking dog ,when the dog is disengaged to eflect indexing. i f- LEONARDO. CARLSEN.

dog to and from operative Y 

